Brussels, 21/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 24 June, EU foreign affairs ministers are due to adopt conclusions on the Middle East. On 21 June, discussions were still ongoing - with the member states wondering if it was necessary to re-assert the EU's position on the peace process or if the EU should wait to know more about US Secretary of State John Kerry's economic and political initiative in order for the EU's response to be more in step. The EU ministers will review the European initiatives. Elsewhere, the guidelines on labelling products from the settlements are still not ready and technical work is still under way, said a European source.
Syria will also be on the Council's programme. In particular, the ministers will discuss efforts for a political solution and the state of preparation for the Geneva II peace conference. They are due to speak about aid to the civilian population and to the neighbouring countries. The Council will also return to the EU's response to the Arab Spring, following the February European Council's request to assess the effectiveness of the EU's policies and instruments in assisting the political and economic transition of the region.
The ministers will discuss the Eastern Partnership so as to establish the full picture before the ministerial meeting in July and the summit in Vilnius in December. The Council will, furthermore, be followed up by an EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council, and an EU-Moldova Cooperation Council will be held on 25 June. The foreign affairs ministers will also hold a political discussion on the Western Balkans - particularly on Serbia and Kosovo, ahead of the General Affairs Council on 25 June and following the meeting of Prime Ministers Dacic and Thaçi with Ashton on 20 June (see other article).
Afghanistan will be on the lunch menu, with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen attending. The talks are due to focus on the EU's contributions to the development and security of Afghanistan, and probably also on the political situation in the country in the context of the presidential elections in April 2014. Rasmussen is due to give an update on recent developments in NATO's involvement on the ground, such as the announcement that was made on Wednesday 19 June about the beginning of the next and final step in the transition process for handing over responsibility for security to the Afghan security forces. Progress in the preparation of a new NATO training mission - Resolute Support - for the Afghan forces, which is due to begin in 2015, will also be set out.
The ministers will additionally adopt conclusions on Pakistan (following the elections) and on Yemen (with regard to progress in the national dialogue). (CG with JK/transl.fl)